The Entrepreneurial Success Program (ESP) has been a successful venture for the Town of Montgomery and time to register is quickly coming to an end.

Whether you’re a new business owner or in the works of opening one, the ESP may be a good fit. After successful classes in 2022, the 10-week program is returning to Montgomery for a spring session beginning February 6.

“It’s always been the same set up: a 10-week, two nights a week course taught by local professionals,” said Randi Picarello, Executive Director of the Business Council of Greater Montgomery. She explained that Business Council board member Edison Guzman, who also CEOs Prosperity Marketing and HowToAttractCustomers.com, teaches the main curriculum. He is also responsible for running this program for years through BOCES, the Orange County Chamber of Commerce and SCORE.

According to the Business Council’s website, “The education will accelerate your success, minimize your failure rate, refine every aspect of your business idea and on occasion, dissuade you from making the mistake of starting the wrong business.”

Picarello broke down how the classes work. “The main content is taught by Edison, and the structure and the curriculum. Then we send out the curriculum to the local business owners that are teaching the class and they build their own class and lesson plan. It’s always been very effective.”

In 2022, the Business Council teamed up with the town to bring ESP to Montgomery. “When we were planning to put it on, there was some interest at the town in putting together something very similar that offered an ongoing resource [to the community]. So, we teamed up with the town and we pulled in the Chamber of Commerce because we wanted it to be as big as it possibly could be and help as many businesses as we could,” said Picarello.

The town secured ARPA funds to provide a grant for the program which provides ongoing benefits to applicants. “Because we were able to secure a grant, we can offer it to students, aspiring business owners and struggling business owners. If they’re a resident of the Town of Montgomery, they can take advantage of a course and be reimbursed,” noted Picarello. The reimbursements include a one year free membership at the Orange County Chamber of Commerce ($457) and the Business Council of Greater Montgomery ($245). Every student who resides or owns a business within the Town of Montgomery is eligible for this.

Further, Picarello also mentioned that you can get a year of ongoing appointments and support with her. “I can help you finish your business plan, identify what your stumbling blocks are, help you move along if you’re stalled out, and connect you with resources.”

The classes include topics like insurance, legal formation, human resources and compliance, marketing and social media, and banking and financing.

Picarello explained that the business council is currently going to multiple municipalities in the county to try to start the program in different areas. Their goal is to find five to six interested municipalities to run this course in the fall. She also mentioned how COVID affected businesses’ ability to grow online.

“A lot of people especially during COVID could have had a very successful business that they couldn’t pivot or scale properly. [Also] if they didn’t have a social media presence or the capability to pivot quickly to an online interface of some sort, they really struggled. It’s really a great way to go from concept to execution,” noted Picarello.

ESP is 20 in-person sessions held over 10 weeks on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuition is $399 and is available for 10 total students. More information can be found on threevillages.org/esp/.

“If you’re doing your work throughout the 10 weeks, you leave there with a business plan that’s ready to take to a financial institution. It’s really a beneficial course,” said Picarello.